The IAFR Blog

Changing Lives, One Bite at a Time

I love to cook so when I was looking for a way to connect with refugee women in my town, I knew that food was a good place to start.

One day I was visiting a young Syrian mother in her home. She was so busy in the kitchen that we could barely talk. In order to spend time together, I rolled up my sleeves and asked her to teach me how to cook her favorite food. I was blown away by her response. In an instant this young woman, lost in years of tragedy, came alive in an amazing way.

Since then I’ve cooked with many women of all ages from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds. Regardless of what we prepare, the response from the time spend together is always the same… smiles, hugs, tears, laughing… joy!

It’s amazing how God uses the small things, like me and cooking, to make a big impact. But he does and I feel so privileged to be part of that.

If you’re interested in learning more about how cooking can help refugees thrive, visit www.myethnictable.com. We just published an amazing calendar with recipes you must try!